Russian President Vladimir Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

By Chelynne Renouard , Deseret News

Published: Wednesday, Oct. 2 2013 4:35 p.m. MDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting of Collective Security Treaty Organization in Sochi, Russia, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2013. The leaders of nations, which are members of Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization, warned against any use of force against Syria without a sanction of the United Nations Security Council. A Russian advocacy group has nominated Putin for the Nobel Peace Prize. (Alexei Druzhinin, Associated Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been officially nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Although Putin is credited with commanding a war against Chechnya, launching an attack on Georgia over a border dispute and is the president of the country known to be the largest supplier of weapons to President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, an advocacy group has nominated him for the prize.

The Russian group, International Academy of Spiritual Unity and Cooperation of Peoples of the World, put in Putin's name for his role in formulating a peaceful resolution to the Syria-United States dispute over chemical weapons last month.

Members of the group say Putin is much more deserving of the prize than President Obama, who received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on during a meeting of Collective Security Treaty Organization in Sochi, Russia, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2013. The leaders of nations, which are members of Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization, warned against any use of force against Syria without a sanction of the United Nations Security Council. A Russian advocacy group has nominated Putin for the Nobel Peace Prize. (Alexei Druzhinin, Associated Press)

"Barack Obama has the title of Nobel Prize winner — the man who initiated and approved such aggressive actions on the part of the United States of America as in Iraq, Afghanistan, some others, and now is preparing for invasion of Syria," Iosif Kobzon, a popular Russian singer and a member of Parliament, said at a news conference. "I think our president, who is trying to stop the bloodshed, who is trying to help to resolve this conflict situation through a political dialogue, through diplomatic language, deserves this title more."

According to the will of Alfred Nobel, the peace prize is to go to "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

Nominations for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize had to be postmarked by Feb. 1, 2013, so the nomination will be for the 2014 prize. This year's award is to be announced on Oct. 11 in Oslo, Norway.

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a question during the final plenary meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in the Novgorod Region, on the banks of Lake Valdai, Russia, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013. Putin says that Russia has strong grounds to believe that Syrian rebels were responsible for the country's chemical attack. A Russian advocacy group has nominated Putin for the Nobel Peace Prize. (Alexander Zemlianichenko, Associated Press)